By Yakuta DawoodAfter successfully installing 4G towers in 10 districts by December 2021, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) is commencing the establishment of 4G towers in the remaining 15 districts this year, with an aim of achieving 100% islandwide 4G connectivity by 2024.Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, ICTA Chairman Oshada Senanayake stated that every month the TRCSL would be commencing work in two respective districts in Sri Lanka, leading to operations in all 15 districts commencing within seven months.“These are significant times; after initiating work this year, these targets will be in operation by 2023. We have to find land and get approval on structures which have to be obtained from 15 different Government organisations and also consider the time period for construction,” Senanayake noted.Commenting on the work completed thus far, he said that the TRCSL had worked on a very technical methodology via which it was able to understand the gap areas through surveys and thereafter complete work on technical evolutions and technical stimulations on installing 4G network towers.“Our target in 2021 was to initiate work in 10 districts, which we achieved by the end of December 2021. They will be completed in 2022. We don’t have to wait until all towers are up and running; whatever is completed will go live. Nevertheless, we will be able to achieve the 100% target by 2024,” he added.To date, 4G towers have been established in Ratnapura, Kurunegala, Matara, Kandy, Badulla, Kalutara and several other districts.Announcing the Budget in 2020, Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa, who also held the Finance portfolio at the time, stated that a sum of Rs. 15 billion would be invested from the Telecom Development Fund during the period 2021-2022 for the development of these requirements.“This programme will expand the availability of mobile and fixed broadband services. It is planned to provide the required infrastructure including communication towers and fibre installations to telecom service providers to establish broadband services covering all the Grama Niladhari divisions of the island,” Premier Rajapaksa said.Subsequently, priority will be given to the utilisation of local labour and products in constructing and installing the communication towers and related appliances and in the provision of technical services. Identified State lands will be vested with the TRCSL to successfully implement communication tower installation in the country. Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business last year, technology consultant Asela Waidyalankara stated that it was absolutely critical for Sri Lanka to have universal coverage with equal internet access for everyone at an affordable price due to the shift into the digital era.“‘Connect Sri Lanka’ is a timely initiative, especially given the situation where the country is in its third lockdown in which a lot of activities – especially retail, medicine, and education – have shifted online. However, education has been disrupted the most due to low internet connectivity in the rural areas of the country,” Waidyalankara said.Explaining this, he said that connectivity was low in rural places, as telcos were discouraged from setting up towers due to low population density that would result in low Return on Investment (ROI) for establishing costly towers. “From a commercial balance sheet point of view, telcos would prefer to establish towers in urban areas to generate ROI. Hence, the TRCSL should have meaningful interventions with telcos to make islandwide internet connectivity a priority,” he highlighted.
